The invention relates to a method and apparatus for printing on a substrate for preparing packaging blanks. The substrate is divided into copies, each of these copies having one or more areas for application of an adhesive, and a printed image which is produced on the copy by application of an ink film and coated with a lacquer.
For lacquering surfaces of substrates in the packaging industry, it is customary to use printing plates made for this purpose as lacquering plates. These lacquering plates are provided with partial recesses in order to keep adhesive flaps of packaging blanks free of lacquer. This procedure was introduced in the book entitled xe2x80x9cOffsetdrucktechnikxe2x80x9d (Offset Printing Technology) by Helmut Teschner, 9th Edition, 1995, pages 11-43. It is a disadvantage that special lacquer plates are required, which are expensive to manufacture.
It is an object of the present invention to develop a method and apparatus for printing on a substrate for preparing packaging blanks, for which specially manufactured lacquer plates are not required.
Pursuant to the present invention, this object is accomplished by the distinguishing features as claimed.
The present invention has the advantage that a single lacquer plate can be used for several printing applications. This lacquer plate is free of partial recesses. As a result, the manufacturing costs can be reduced greatly. Since the lacquer plate can be used for several printing applications, the changeover times can also be shortened. Moreover, only one lacquering unit or lacquer tower is required.